Victory for Surrey campaigners who saved wild meadow
An ambitious community campaign to preserve a threatened 30-acre beauty spot in Farnham has been named winner of the first-ever Open Space Award. The amazing success of The Bishop’s Meadow Trust impressed judges from Open Spaces Society and earned it the top spot, despite strong competition nationwide. Jo Aylwin, chairman of the trust, attended the…
Read MoreKendal village green saved from golfing development
South Lakeland District Council has refused planning consent to Kendal Golf Club for a covered driving-range on Kendal Fell, a Cumbrian village green. The planning authority rejected the application principally because it would be visually intrusive and over-prominent in the landscape, and it would be detrimental to the public’s use and enjoyment of the land.…
Read MoreOur campaign challenges for the year ahead
‘We should never forget that the Open Spaces Society is a hard hitting, agile and quick reacting campaigning organisation, able and willing to be controversial, radical and perhaps at times unpopular in pursuit of its charitable objects.’ So said Tim Crowther, our chairman, in moving the adoption of the society’s annual report at our annual…
Read More
Keep the ‘national’ in National Trails
The 13 National Trails are among England’s finest assets. Government must continue to invest in them and promote them because they provide health and happiness to millions of people and are well worth every penny. So says the society which has responded to Natural England’s consultation on the future management of the National Trails. We…
Read More
Forestry panel sees the wood and the trees
‘The Independent Panel on Forestry has done a great job in seeing the wood and the trees.’ So said the society in welcoming the long-awaited final report of the panel which was published today. The panel has declared that the public forest estate should not be sold off, but remain in public ownership and be…
Read MoreTurbines could trash Powys common
We have objected to an application from RWE Npower Renewables Ltd for nine wind turbines at Neuadd-goch Bank near Dolfor, Newtown in Powys. The society is particularly concerned that four of the wind turbines would be sited on registered common land, Cwmgwyn and Medwalleth Commons. We are dismayed that the applicants refer to the ‘minor…
Read MoreCornish common reclaimed
Carrine Common, near Kea, south of Truro in Cornwall has been reclaimed as registered common land, using legislation which is being pioneered in Cornwall (part 1 of the Commons Act 2006). Following a hearing in January 2012, planning inspector Mr Barney Grimshaw ruled that the land should be recorded on the commons register. Carrine Common…
Read MoreDevelopment threat in Kent’s high weald
We have objected to plans from Kent County Council to erect a new primary school on open land at Benenden in the Weald of Kent. The proposed development is to the south of Rolvenden Road. This is a prominent, elevated spot which is visible for miles around. The development will suburbanise this attractive village, and…
Read MoreOur new path-protagonist for Guildford
We are pleased to announce that we have appointed Colin Sandford as our new local correspondent for the Borough of Guildford in Surrey. Colin, who lives in Effingham, has a lifelong interest in horse-riding and this inspired his interest in countryside access. Colin will be our eyes and ears in this area, keeping a close…
Read More
Wealden woodland saved from private car-park plans
Wealden District Council has thrown out plans to build a private, gated car-park on the summit of Crowborough Common in East Sussex. On 31 May nine members of the planning committee voted against Crowborough Beacon Golf Club’s proposals. The Open Spaces Society, Save Our Common and the Ramblers’ High Weald Walkers Group were among the…
Read More